Air filter and humidifier



July 27, l1937. c. A. MULHQLLAND AIR FILTER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed Sept.' 3, 1935 forl removing dust and other foreign matter from `of the apparatus. The spirally arranged sheet of 5 1,5 would be otherwise concealed. receive a body of liquid as shown in Fig. V2. At

th invention, A designates the improved appar outwardly a'nd upwardly as shown in Fig. 2, to 20 ratus -generally. 'I'he apparatus A includes an provide a substantially V-shaped trough 20. In `outer lcasing I which rests upon suitable suplike mannerthe portions of thetwo convolutions -porting elements 2, Said casing I preferably beof the spiraily arranged sheetof material I3 lne of Cylindrical form as Shown most clearly in which are arranged immediately above the inner 25. Fig. 2. A y end portion of said sheet of material are shaped 25 The 0111361 dosing l 1S ClOSed at 011e 0f its ends to provide substantially V-shaped troughsfZI and by a`wa1l 3, which preferably, though not neces- 22, the trough 2l being rlocated immediately above 'Sa-my, is formed integral with the .cylindrical and slightly to the right of the trough 2li, Vals 'wall of said outer casing, and at the opposite shown in Fig. 2, and the trough 22 being located end of the outer casing the cylindlicalv wall immediately above and slightly to the right of 30 thereof is provided with an outstanding annularthe troughi2l, as shown in said view. Perforailange 4. vThe flanged end 0f the 0111161' Casing l tions 22' are formed through the sheet of ma.- 'is closed by an end wallstructure 5 which is terial I3 at the bottom portions of the troughs l provided with an annular flange 6 that corre- 20, 2| and-22, andsimilar apertures 24' are sponds in shapoand proportions to the flange" formed through the curved portion I6 of the 35 4 4 0f the Outer casing, and bolts 0r other suitspil-ally arrangedsheet of material ai', the lower able fastening devices 'I are extended through portion of the pocket I1.

apertures formed through the anges 4 and 6 As shown in Fig. 2, the lower portions of the and through a gasket 9 interposed between said convolutions of the spirally arranged sheet` of flanges so as to secure the end wall structure 5 material I3 provide segmental troughs 23, 24 40 I tothe outer casingin manner to'provide a iuidp and 25, and the lower portion of -the outer castight joint between said.parts. At its outer ing provides a similar segmental `trough 26. As end the end wall structure'5 is provided with .an will presently appear herein, the V-shaped opening that is closed by a removable plate I0 troughs 20, 2I and 22, and the segmental troughs which is secured in place by means of elongated 23, 24, 25 and 26, in the operation of the appa- 45 `50 instrumentality of a gasket I2 which is intermental trough 23 to the segmental trough 24, 5o

" terial I3 which' extends Afrom one to the oppoductor 2'Ia which is extended `through an open- 55 Patented .July 27,1937 y 2,088,114

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR FILTER AND HUMIDIFIER Clifford A. Mulholland, Tulsa, Okla. l Application September 3, 1935, Serial No.v 38885 8 Claims. (CL 261-118) 'I'his invention relates generally to air filters site end of the apparatus so as to provide a conand humidiers and more specically to an aptinuous spiral air passageway I4 whichis closed paratus `of this type which includes the use of at its opposite ends by the end Wall 3 and the streams or bodies of water or other suitable fluid removable plate I0 of the end wall structure 5 air being treated while said air is passing along material I3 is secured at one of its ends tovthe a tortuous path through the apparatus, the precylindrical wall 4of the outer housing I at' the dominant object of the invention being to propoint designated by the reference characterA .I5

vide an improved apparatus of this type which in Fig. 2, and adjacent to said point of attach- 10 is capable of performing its intended function ment the -spirallyA arranged sheet of material isi` 10 in a highly efficient manner. provided with a curved portion I6 which co-op- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved aperates with the cylindrical wall of the outer casparatus with portions broken away so as to iling in a manner to provide a pocket I1 which, lustrate in section parts of the structure that in the operation of the apparatus, is adapted to 4 Fig. 2 is a `vertical section taken on line 2--2 its opposite*l or inner end the spirally arranged of'Fig. l. l sheet of material I3 terminates in a portion I8 In the drawing, wherein is shown 'for the purhaving a curvature of relatively small radius and e .of illustration, merely, one embodiment of a portion I9 of said sheet of material is bent i bolts or tie rods II extended through the apparatus, receive bodies of fluid, and the portions ratus A as shown most clearly invFigJl, the joint of the convolutions of the spirally arranged between said removable plate and saidendwall sheet of material are provided with apertures `21 structure, being made fluid-tight through the axnd 21''through which uid passes from the segposed between said removable plate and a portion from the segmental. trough 24 to the segmental of said end-'wall structure. L trough 25, and from the segmental trough 25 to Located withinthe outer housing I of the apthe segmental trough 26. Associated w'ith the paratus A- is a spirally arranged sheet of masegmental trough 26 is^\a fluid-discharge con-- ing formed through the otherwise imperforate portion of the cylindrical wall of the outer casing which provides the bottom of the segmental trough 26. The conductor 2 1a isextended up- Wardly into the segmental trough 26 and is provided with one ormore openings 28 through which fluid may pass from the segmental trough into the conductor 21a to be conducted from the apparatus to a circulating pump for -reintroduction into the apparatus, or to a sewer or other place of disposition. i

At the opposite ends of the apparatus air intake conduits 29 are provided through which air to be treated entersthe apparatus, these conduits being supported in openings formed through the wall 3 of the outer casing of the apparatus and through the removal plate ||l of the end wall structure 5, respectively. The intake conduits comprise each a tubular element open at its outer end and at the lower portion of its inner end (see Fig. 1) and above the open innerportion of the/conduit said tubular element is provided with an angularly disposed portion 36 which serves to direct the incoming air in a downward direction within the apparatus. v

The air discharge means of the apparatus comprises an outwardly and upwardly extended structure 3| of rectangular formation which at its base where the structure is attached to the outer casing of the apparatus at an opening formed in the cylindrical wall of said outer casing, is of only slightly less width than the length of said outer casing. From this point the structure 3|,

in geometricallyspaced relation, as shown in Fig.'

1. These vanes extend from the point at which the air discharge structure 3| is attached to the outer casing of the apparatus, to the approximate inner end of the rectangular neck portion 32, and in addition to serving to distribute air circulation within the structure 3| these vanes .act as bales which remove excess moisture from the air passing from the apparatus. At the point where the convergent portion of the air discharge structure 3| joints the rectangular neck portion 32 thereof, upwardly inclined baiiies 35 are arranged between the vanes 33 and between the end vanes and the opposite side of the convergeht portion of the structure 3|. These baffles serve to prevent flow of excess moisture outwardly through 'the discharge end of the air discharge structure of the apparatus.

Extended longitudinally through the apparatus is a fluid pipe 36 which is provided with perforations 31 at the under side of the portion of said pipe which is located Within the apparatus. This pipe is connected to a source of uid under pressure, such as water from a city water supply, or a separate pump or like means may be employed to pump iluid through the pipe 36, in which event the iluid may be withdrawn from the apparatus by the pump or like means and reintroduced into the apparatus by pumping the fluid into and through the pipe 36. Fluid discharged from the pipe 36 through the perforations 31 thereof passes into the trough 22, from which trough said uid passes through the aperapertures 22 thereof into the trough 20, and from said trough 20 the fluid passes through the apertures 22' of said trough 20 into the segmental trough 23. trough 23 passes through the apertures 21 and 21 at the bottom .of said segmental trough into the segmental trough 24, said fluid passing from said segmental trough 24 through the apertures 21 and 21 thereof into the segmental trough 25 and from the segmental Atrough 25 through its apertures 21 and 21 into the segmental trough 26. From the segmental trough 26 the fluid passes through the openings 28 into the discharge pipe 21a by which it is conducted from the apparatus. It is important to note that the apertures 22 and 21 and 21' are of such diameter and of such number that bodies of uid are maintained at all times in the V-shapedtroughs 20, 2| and 22, and'in the segmental troughs 23,

' 24, 25 and 26, so that constantly owing streams of fluid will issue from said apertures.

The improved apparatus operates by creating a difference in pressure at the discharge end of the' discharge structure 3| provided by the element 33, as compared with the air intake ends of the elements 29. This causes air to be treated tov enter the apparatus and move spirally in a clockwise direction through a series of sprays of uid and emerge from the air discharge means of the apparatus thoroughly cleaned and moistened. Because of the eccentric arrangement of the convolutions of the sheet |3, the spiral air passageway formed through the apparatus varies in width. This causes the velocity of the air passing through the apparatus to be decreased as said air approaches the Water surfaces in the segmental troughs whereby dust particles carried bythe air will drop therefrom. Thedischarge apertures 21 of the segmental troughs 23, 24 and 25 are so located and proportioned as to maintain uid levels above the apertures and prevent by-passing of air through said apertures. Also these maintained fluid levels provide for the necessary contact between the air being treated and the bodies of fluid in the segmental troughs. The discharge vapertures 21 at the lowermost points of the segmental troughs 23, 24 and 25 are fewer in number than the discharge apertures 21 and serve to,` permit complete drainage of uid from said segmental troughs when this is desired. Due to the fact that the perforated pipe 36 is separated from ,the air discharge opening in the outer casing at which the structure 3| vis disposed by a turn of the sheet I3, discharge of uid directly" from said perforated pipe to said air discharge opening is prevented. Also eX- cessive moisture that may find its way to the air discharge structure 3| of the apparatus is baffled by the baffles 35 and this excessive moisture flows back into the interior of the apparatus' In constructing one of the improved apparatus,v

the amount and kind of air to be treated determines the number of turns of the sheet I3. Also in the operation of the apparatus, the desired humidity may be obtained by regulating the supply of uid. In this connection it is pointed out that water ordinarily will be used when it is desired to humidify the air being treated. .How-

ever if no humidification of the air is desired,

the fluid employed may be a suitable light oil.

The fluid within the segmental.

discharge means, 'an element disposed within said outer casing and arranged spirally about the major axis Qf'said outer casing'to provide a spiral air passageway with which said air inlet and i discharge means communicate, liquid-receiving troughs arranged within said outer casing, said troughs being arranged one above the other and beingso constructed that liquid ilows from higher to lower troughs in streams which traverse said air assageway, and means extended into said ou r casing for introducing liquid into said.

lsaid outercasing and arranged spirally about the major axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral, air passageway with which said air inlet and discharge means communicate, liquid-receiving liquid 'flows from higher to lower troughs in streams which traverse said air passageway, means extended into said outer casing yfor introducing liquid into said troughs, andmeans for discharging liquid from within said outer casing.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising an outer casing having air inlet and air discharge means, an element disposed within said outer casing and arranged spirally about the major-axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral `air passageway with which said air inlet and discharge means communicate, liquid-receiving troughs arranged within said outer casing, said troughs being arranged one above the other an being provided with apertures through which liqui flows from` higher to lower troughs in streams which traverse said Vair -passageway, means extended into said outer casing for introducing liquid into said troughs, means for discharging liquid from within said outer casing, and means within said air discharge means for distributing circulation of air therein.

4. An apparatus oi' the class described comprising an outer casing having air inlet and air discharge means, an element disposed within said outer casing and arranged spirally about the major axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral i air passageway with which said air inlet and disducing liquid into said troughs, means for discharging liquid from within said outer casing,

means within said air discharge means for distributing circulation of air therein, and baiiie means for preventing excessive discharge foi' moisture from said air. discharge means.

` 5. Au apparatus of the class described comprising an-outer casing having air inlet and air discharge means, an element disposed within said outer' casing and arranged spirally about the major axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral 3 air passageway. with which said air inlet and discharge means communicate.. liquid-receiving troughs arranged within said 'outer casing, said troughs being arranged one above the other and being provided with apertures through which liquid iiows from higher to lower troughs in streams which traverse said air passageway,

means .extended intoA said outer casing for introducing liquid into said troughs, means' for discharging liquid from within said outer casing, means within said air discharge means for distributing circulation of air therein, baille means for, preventing excessive discharge of moisture from said air discharge means, and a pocket for receiving moisture baiiied by said baiiie means.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising an outer casing having air inlet and air discharge means, an elementY disposed within said outer casing and arranged spirally about the major axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral air passageway with which said air inlet and discharge means communicate, liquid receiving troughs arranged within said outer casing, said troughs being arranged one above the other and being provided with apertures through which liquid flows from higher to lower troughs in streams which traverse said air passageway, means extended into said outer casing for introducing liquid into said-troughs, means for dis- -charging liquid from within said outer casing,

means within said air discharge means for distributing circulation of air therein, baiiie means for preventing excessive'discharge of moisture from said air discharge means, anda perforated pocket for receiving moisture baiiied by said baffle means.

.7. An apparatus of the class described comprising an outer casing having air inlet and air dis'- charge means, an element disposed within said outer casing and arranged spirally about the major axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral air passageway with which said air inlet and distraverse said air passageway, and means extended into said outer casing for introducing liquid into' said troughs.

8. An apparatus of the class described comprising an outer casing having air inlet and air discharge means, an element disposed within said outer casing and arranged spirally about the major axis of said outer casing to provide a spiral air passageway with which said air inlet and discharge means communicate, liquid-receiving troughs arranged within said outer casing, said liquid-receiving troughs-being produced by p0rtions of said spirally arranged element, said troughs being arranged one above the other and f being so constructed that liquid iows from higher to lower troughs in streams which traverse said air passageway, and means extended into said outer casing' for introducing liquid into said troughs.

` A. MULHOILAND. 

